IP traffic software high precision pacer

Abstract

Embodiments provide techniques for delivering a paced stream of video data packets. One embodiment includes receiving a data stream of video data packets formatted according to a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard. A desired rate of delivery for the video data packets at a gateway device is determined. Embodiments generate a padded data stream by inserting one or more pause frames in between the video data packets in the received data stream, based on the desired rate of delivery. The padded data stream is transmitted across a link to a network switch, to be transmitted to the gateway device.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving a data stream comprising a plurality of video data packets; 
 determining a first rate of delivery for the plurality of video data packets at a gateway device; 
 identifying a network property of a link to a network switch communicatively coupled to the gateway device; 
 pacing transmission of the plurality of video data packets to the network switch by generating a padded data stream comprising a plurality of internet protocol (IP) packets by inserting one or more pause frames in between the plurality of video data packets in the received data stream, wherein a number of the pause frames, a size of at least one of the pause frames, or both, is based on the first rate of delivery at the gateway device and the network property of the link to the network switch; and 
 transmitting the padded data stream across the link to the network switch at a second transmission rate that differs from the first rate of delivery to the gateway device, wherein the network switch is configured to receive the padded data stream at the second transmission rate, and discard at least one of the one or more pause frames to deliver the plurality of video data packets to the gateway device at the first rate of delivery. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 determining a measure of bandwidth for the link to the network switch, wherein the network property of the link to the network switch is the measure of bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , the method further comprising:
 determining a size of a first pause frame of the one or more pause frames based on the first rate of delivery for the plurality of video data packets and the determined measure of bandwidth, wherein the size of the first pause frame is greater than a size of a second pause frame of the one or more pause frames. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the size of at least one of the one or more pause frames is determined based further on a predefined minimum size. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the first rate of delivery for the plurality of video data packets at the gateway device comprises interacting with an application programming interface (API) of the gateway device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of video data packets are formatted according to a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the SMPTE standard further comprises one of SMPTE 2022-6 or SMPTE 2110-21. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the padded data stream uses a network transmission link as a reference clock. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the network transmission link is an Ethernet link and wherein a speed of the reference clock is based on bandwidth of the Ethernet link. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the number of the pause frames, the size of the at least one of the pause frames, or both, is based on the speed of the reference clock. 
     
     
       11. A system that includes:
 an Internet Protocol (IP) traffic pacer component; 
 a network switch; and 
 a gateway device; 
 wherein the IP traffic pacer component comprises a first processor and a first memory element storing data, which, when executed on the first processor, performs a first operation comprising:
 receiving a data stream of a plurality of video data packets; 
 determining a first rate of delivery for the plurality of video data packets at the gateway device; 
 identifying a network property of a link to the network switch, wherein the network switch is communicatively coupled to the gateway device; 
 pacing transmission of the plurality of video data packets to the network switch by generating a padded data stream comprising a plurality of internet protocol (IP) packets by inserting one or more pause frames in between the plurality of video data packets in the received data stream, wherein a number of the pause frames, a size of at least one of the pause frames, or both, is based on the first rate of delivery and the network property of the link to the network switch; 
 transmitting the padded data stream across the link to the network switch at a second transmission rate that differs from the first rate of delivery to the gateway device; 
 
 wherein the network switch comprises a second processor and a second memory element storing data, which, when executed on the second processor, performs a second operation comprising:
 receiving the padded data stream across the link; and 
 discarding the one or more pause frames within the padded data stream prior to transmitting the plurality of video data packets to the gateway device at the first rate of delivery; and 
 
 wherein the gateway device comprises a third processor and a third memory element storing data, which, when executed on the third processor, performs a third operation comprising: 
 receiving the plurality of video data packets at the first rate of delivery; and 
 processing the plurality of received video data packets. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first operation further comprises:
 determining a measure of bandwidth for the link to the network switch, wherein the network property of the link to the network switch is the measure of bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the IP traffic pacer component maintains full control of the link. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more pause frames are inserted in between the plurality of video data packets in the received data stream in order to saturate the link. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of video data packets are formatted according to a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the SMPTE standard further comprises one of SMPTE 2022-6 or SMPTE 2110-21. 
     
     
       17. A method comprising:
 receiving a data stream comprising a plurality of video data packets, wherein the plurality of video data packets are formatted according to a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) standard; 
 determining a first rate of delivery of the plurality of video data packets at a gateway device; 
 identifying a network property of a link to a network switch communicatively coupled to the gateway device, the network property comprising a measure of bandwidth for the link to the network switch; 
 determining a number of pause frames to insert between the plurality of video data packets in the padded data stream based on the network property of the link to the network switch; 
 determining a size of at least one of the determined number of pause frames based on the first rate of delivery for the plurality of video data packets; 
 pacing transmission of the plurality of video data packets to the network switch by generating a padded data stream comprising a plurality of internet protocol (IP) packets by inserting the determined number of pause frames of the determined size between the plurality of video data packets in the received data stream based on the first rate of delivery; and 
 transmitting the padded data stream across the communications link to the network switch at a second transmission rate that differs from the first rate of delivery to the gateway device, wherein the network switch is configured to receive the padded data stream at the second transmission rate, and discard at least one of the pause frames to deliver the plurality of video data packets to the gateway device at the first rate of delivery. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein a size of a first one of the plurality of data packets is greater than a size of a second one of the plurality of data packets. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the SMPTE standard further comprises one of SMPTE 2022-6 or SMPTE 2110-21.